Chekuthan's Posts - Atheist Nexus2018-03-19T14:47:22Zchekuthanhttp://atheistnexus.org/profile/chekuthanhttp://api.ning.com:80/files/v2lbj4A*dlNy9n-seR-TzA0EMeKW3Z76I3-q6pCx0jdqR7tUHnXu5jIbiQttbc-7U6Z84SQrqh06FQqE3UXaODClQ8amKb*z/1042398444.jpeg?xgip=0%3A0%3A366%3A366%3B%3B&width=48&height=48&crop=1%3A1http://atheistnexus.org/profiles/blog/feed?user=1t046vb3pb75w&xn_auth=noQUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ...tag:atheistnexus.org,2010-04-01:2182797:BlogPost:7775982010-04-01T14:21:17.000Zchekuthanhttp://atheistnexus.org/profile/chekuthan
5.1<br></br>Q: <font size="4"><b>No matter what science or scientists say, my faith
in the existence of a prayer-answering God is unshakeable. Do you have<br />
any problem with that?</b></font><br></br><br></br>A: <br></br><b>As I was sitting in
my chair,<br></br>
<br />
I knew the bottom wasn’t there.<br></br>Nor legs nor back, but I just sat,<br></br>Ignoring
little things like that.</b><br></br>(William Hughes Mearns)<br></br><br></br><b>5.2</b><br></br><br></br>Q: <font size="4"><b>What is prayer?</b></font><br></br><br></br>A: Prayer means ‘to ask
that…
5.1<br/>Q: <font size="4"><b>No matter what science or scientists say, my faith
in the existence of a prayer-answering God is unshakeable. Do you have<br />
any problem with that?</b></font><br/><br/>A: <br/><b>As I was sitting in
my chair,<br/>
<br />
I knew the bottom wasn’t there.<br/>Nor legs nor back, but I just sat,<br/>Ignoring
little things like that.</b><br/>(William Hughes Mearns)<br/><br/><b>5.2</b><br/><br/>Q: <font size="4"><b>What is prayer?</b></font><br/><br/>A: Prayer means ‘to ask
that the laws of the universe be annulled in behalf of a single<br />
petitioner confessedly unworthy’ (Ambrose Bierce).<br/>
<br />
<br/>5.3<br/><br/>Q:<b>How can all knowledge be acquired only by physical,
objective, ’scientific’ means? Is it not possible that some types of<br />
knowledge can be obtained only by ‘experiencing’ it in your head?</b><br/><br/>A:
How can we humans be sure that such ‘knowledge’ is correct and<br />
universal? How dependable can such ’subjective knowledge’ be, whatever<br />
that picture-9term means? Even such knowledge is bound to lead to some<br />
predictions (say about God) which are in the physical realm, and<br />
therefore amenable to objective scientific verification. That has not<br />
happened. Why not wait till science can make more progress? What is the<br />
hurry?! In any case, what can you achieve by hurrying?<br/>
<br />
<br/>5.4<br/><br/>Q: <font size="4"><b>I have experienced God. How can you
challenge that?</b></font><br/><br/>A: <b>Please take the trouble of
gaining a mastery over the science of modern psychology.<br/> Also, read
up some good books on evolutionary theory. You will change your views.</b><br/>
<br />
<br/>5.5<br/><br/>Q: <font size="4"><b>But if my God-concept is demolished,
I shall feel utterly lost and forlorn. How can I cope with that?</b></font><br/><br/>A:
Please be brave and mentally strong, and try to face reality. There are<br />
a huge number of atheists or irreligious people out there. Establish<br />
contact with them, and share your thoughts with them. There is strength<br />
in numbers.<br/>
<br />
<br/><br/>5.6<br/><br/>Q: <font size="4"><b>But religion has given rise to
so much art and literature. Should we abandon all that?</b></font><br/><br/>A:
No. That is also our heritage. Nothing prevents you from enjoying good<br />
poetry or music. I enjoy Sufi music, as also bhajans sung by Jagjit<br />
Singh (yes bhajans, and not just ghazals). The Ramayan and the<br />
Mahabharat are great stories. But only stories. They were aptly<br />
described by Nehru as a curious mixture of fact and fiction. The point<br />
is that we humans must move on as we acquire more and more knowledge and<br />
understanding. In the beginning there was no science; only ignorance or<br />
some fragmentary pieces of information. And there were superstitions,<br />
born out of the fear of the unknown. Our perspective must change in the<br />
light of new insights and knowledge. As more and more people come round<br />
to the rationalist’s view of things, a new kind of art, music, and<br />
literature would emerge. Things change with time. Don’t be afraid of<br />
change.<br/>
<br />
<br/>5.7<br/><br/>Q: <font size="4"><b>Einstein’s famous remark ‘God does
not play dice’ shows that he believed in the existence of God. Right?</b></font><br/><br/>A:
Wrong. This issue has been discussed in great detail in the very first<br />
chapter of the book ‘The God Delusion’ by Dawkins (2007). Einstein made<br />
this remark in the context of his opposition to quantum mechanics as<br />
formulated at that time. Recently a letter written by Einstein in<br />
January 1954 (just one year before his death) was auctioned for<br />
$400,000. Here is an excerpt from that letter: ‘. . <b>the word God is<br />
for me nothing more than the expression and product of human weaknesses,<br />
the Bible a collection of honourable but still primitive legends which<br />
are nevertheless pretty childish’.</b><br/>
<br />
<br/><br/><br/>========<br/><font size="1"><strong>Dr. V. K. Wadhawan is the Raja Ramanna
Fellow at BARC (DAE),<br />
Mumbai and the Associate Editor of <a href="http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals/titles/01411594.asp" target="_blank">PHASE<br />
TRANSITIONS</a>. He is also the Ex-Head, Laser Materials Division at the<br />
Centre for Advanced Technology (DAE), Indore.</strong></font>